The Ogunquit Art Association will hold its 72nd Annual Art Auction on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Barn Gallery, continuing a tradition that stretches back for many decades and remains the largest annual art auction in Ogunquit.
Collectors and art enthusiasts from across the Eastern Seaboard travel to Ogunquit each summer for this event, where original works by OAA member artists go under the gavel in a single high-energy evening. The auction is one of the season’s defining fundraisers, with a portion of the proceeds directly supporting OAA exhibitions, educational programs, and the upkeep of Barn Gallery itself.
“Every bid placed at this auction is a vote of confidence in the Ogunquit Art Association’s artists and in the idea that a working art colony still belongs at the center of this beautiful place by the sea,” states Deidre O’Flaherty, President of the Ogunquit Arts Collaborative. “Seventy-two years in, this auction hasn’t become a formality. It’s still the night collectors mark on their calendars, and still an important evening that helps keep Barn Gallery’s doors open for the next generation of artists.”
Doors open for the event at 5:30 PM on August 1st, with a registration and cocktail reception running until 6:45 PM, when the silent auction closes. The live auction begins at 7 PM, led by auctioneer William J. Milliken, co-owner of Barridoff Galleries in South Portland and president of the Maine Auctioneer Association (Maine Lic. #AUC1627). Milliken will preside over bidding for a collection of paintings, graphics, photographs, and sculptures created by members of the Ogunquit Art Association, Maine’s original artists’ group.
Ahead of the live event, the public is invited to preview the full collection and may leave an absentee bid during a four-day preview period: Wednesday, July 29 through Friday, July 31 from 11 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday, August 1 from 11 AM to 2 PM. There will also be a silent auction running during the preview days which will end before the live auction.
Admission bid cards are $20. For $30, guests can purchase a one-of-a-kind artist-designed bid card, both includes admission, an auction catalog, and refreshments. Both options go on sale at the gallery beginning June 27 and will also be available at the door.
This year’s auction event sponsor is CIRE Travel.
Parking at Barn Gallery is limited; attendees are encouraged to carpool or park at the Obed’s Lane lot behind the Dunaway Center, a short trolley ride or ten-minute walk from the gallery.
EVENT DETAILS AT A GLANCE
72nd OAA Art Auction Preview
Wednesday, July 29 – Saturday, August 1
Wed–Fri (July 29–31): 11 AM – 5 PM
Sat (August 1): 11 AM – 2 PM
72nd OAA Art Auction
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Doors open: 5:30 PM
Registration & cocktail reception: 5:30 – 6:45 PM
Silent auction closes: 6:45 PM
Live auction begins: 7:00 PM
Location: Barn Gallery, 3 Hartwig Lane, Ogunquit, More information is available at barngallery.org.
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